If ever there was a reason to travel the entire breadth of the District Line, it’s this. Tucked away on one of the platforms at Kew Gardens tube station is the ultimate hidden gem; a charming little boozer, going by the name of Tap on the Line, that sits – quite literally – just a stone’s throw away from where the District Line train pulls into the station. And let us tell you: it’s rail-y cute.
Previously known (rather unimaginatively) as The Railway; Tap on the Line is the only pub situated on a London Underground station platform and one of the very few places in the city where you can see your train coming, sink your pint, and still be on board by the time the train is ready to leave. Not bad, hey?
There was once a time, before Oyster Cards and contactless payments (can you even imagine?!), when you could exit from the pub, directly onto the tube platform but sadly, this is no longer an option. Handy location aside, however, Tap on the Line also boasts some other fairly alluring features. The food is reportedly rather delicious, especially on their weekly steak and wine nights. They also stock a decent range of Belgian beers and are no strangers to live music nights and pub quizzes, either.
The charm of the pub could get just a little problematic if Kew Gardens is your stop, though. To finish your commute and see an outrageously good-looking pub sitting right there on the station platform is a temptation you can only resist so many times, right?
If you do plan on paying a visit to Tap on the Line, may we suggest that you also check out some of the other treasures that can be found in this little slice of London? Kew Gardens, for example, is just down the road and is – in our humble opinion – one of the most beautiful places in the entire city.
A day wandering around some bloomin’ lovely botanic gardens finished off with a quick pint before boarding your tube home? Sounds pretty ideal to me. But do remember to mind the gap tap.